The Longest Ride (out Apr 9) is a Nicholas Sparks adaptation that follows two stories - (1) a young rodeo cowboy trying to win the heart of an art history student, and (2) an old man recounting the story of when he first met his wife. It’s too long and the ending doesn’t really stack up… but this will win the hearts of many with its fairy tale romance and sentimentality. Grade: B-.

Mommy (out Apr 9) has three leading roles - a teenager suffering from ADHD, his single mother struggling to make end's meet, and their next door neighbour who needs a purpose in life. This is a character study that is both absorbing and frustrating. The performances are terrific but I didn't know what to take away from it. Grade: B.

X+Y (out Apr 9) follows a teenager battling autism who is trying to win a spot on the British team for the International Mathematical Olympiad. While the script stumbles a few times along the way, the film will be a valuable eye-opener for those new to the world of autism. Asa Butterfield is great in the leading role. Grade: B.

Samba (out Apr 2) is a French drama that brings together two people in need of each other. One is an immigrant from Senegal trying to avoid deportation. The other is as immigration case worker suffering from burnout. It's a eye-opening story but I struggled at times with the characters' choices. Grade: B-.

The Book Of Life (out Apr 2) is a strong animated feature with a Mexican flavour. It follows two young men trying to win the heart of girl and explores themes such a love, death and the afterlife. The animation is colourful & creative and the storyline should appeal to most audiences. Grade: B+.

The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water (out Apr 2) provides a mix of animation and live action. I realise I'm not in the target demographic but it seems to be a very confusing storyline that involves pirates, time travel and hamburgers. To each their own. Grade: C+.

Fast & Furious 7 (out Apr 2) is definitely one of the stronger films in the franchise. Jason Statham makes for a great villain and Kurt Russell is also a welcome addition to the cast. Australian director James Wan has found some great camera angles to use when shooting the action sequences. It all looks very good. Grade: B+.

The DUFF (out Apr 2) isn’t as fresh as other teen-orientated films such as Mean Girls and Easy A but it’s still a fun way of spending two hours. It's the story of an "ugly duckling" (she's not really though) who goes through a transformation to win the heart of a boy she adores. A small shame that it follows so many clichés. Grade: B+.

Shaun The Sheep Movie (out Mar 26) is a spin off from the popular Wallace & Gromit franchise and follows a group of curious sheep who cause a lot of mayhem. What makes this animated feature so cool is that there's no dialogue! The characters rely almost entirely on facial expressions to tell a story that is cute and easy to follow. Grade: A-.

Infinitely Polar Bear (out Mar 26) is the story of a man battling bipolar disorder while trying to win back his wife's affections and care for 2 young daughters. While it doesn't pack a strong emotional punch, it certainly highlights how tough life can be. Grade: B.